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Canada Goose
(Branta canadensis)
German name(s): "Kanadagans"
Size: 75-110 cm; wing span 1.25-1.85 m
Weight: 2.6-6.5 kg (male); 2.4-5.5 kg (female)
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Canada Geese are large geese with a long neck.
Except for their white ear coverts and cheek patches, they
have an entirely black head and long neck. The chest and centre
of the belly, as well as the vent, undertail coverts and the
rump are off-white to creamy. The flanks are finely barred
creamy and grey-brown, while the upperwings are grey-brown
with creamy edge lining, giving them a "shingled" appearance.
The short, rounded tail is black. Their irises are black.
They have a nearly triangular black bill. The sturdy legs and
fully webbed feet are dark-grey.
Goslings
first have a yellowish
plumage, which later turns grey.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Canada
Goose at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Canada Goose is available
HERE
.
Canadian Geese are a migratory species of North America.
There are various races - for details see e.g.
Wikipedia .
They are permanent residents roughly in the northern half
of the United States, over the entire width of the continent.
Northward of about 45 degrees they are breeding migrants,
reaching the Arctic in northern Canada. In the southern
half of the United States and in far-northern Mexico they
are winter visitors.
A smaller population in central and northern Europe is
mostly introduced.
Although most Canada Geese in Europe will be descendants of
introduced birds, it has been established that some individuals
have also colonized northern Europe naturally. Most European
birds are of race
"parvipes"(?).
The European population has established itself permanently
in spots of Ireland/Northern Ireland and basically all of
England and Wales, in (near-)coastal northern France, the
Benelux countries and along the German North Sea coastline.
They are also permanent residents along the southern Norwegian
coastal fringe.
There is a wintering population in Denmark, the islands between
Denmark and Sweden, and the German Baltic Sea coastline, which
migrate regionally to breed in southern and coastal Sweden and
along the southern coastal fringe of Finland.
Elsewhere, there are smaller populations in isolated spot along
inland waterways in northern France and in Germany.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "parvipes"
C. Pears found Canada Geese, race
"parvipes"(?)
in Bowness-on-Windermere, Lake District, England, UK, in January 2011
and in the river Thames at Moulsford, South Oxfordshire, England, UK,
in December 2014. Others were found at Keswick, Lake District, England,
in September 2023.
H. Dahlem-Senger reports spotting Canada Geese, race
"parvipes"(?)
regularly along the river Rhine in central western Germany, near
Walluf, Hessen, where they breed annually.
M. Eaton reports finding Canada Geese, race
"parvipes"(?)
in Hyde Park, London, England, in September 2019.
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Photos |
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Race "parvipes"(?)
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ADULT |
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Canada Geese on the banks of the river Rhine
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Walluf, Hessen, Germany, January 2018]
Family of Canada Geese on the banks of the river Rhine, with
an adult seen in a near-frontal view in the foreground
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Walluf, Hessen, Germany, January 2013]
Lateral view of a Canada Goose (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hyde Park, London, England, September 2019]
Lateral view of a Canada Goose (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Walluf, Hessen, Germany, January 2013]
Lateral view of a Canada Goose
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, between Walluf and Schierstein, Hessen, Germany, April 2019]
Lateral view of a Canada Goose, here seen preening
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, between Walluf and Schierstein, Hessen, Germany, April 2019]
Lateral view of a Canada Goose (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hyde Park, London, England, September 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a Canada Goose, upright stance
Near-dorsal view of a Canada Goose, hunched stance
Family of Canada Geese (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Walluf, Hessen, Germany, January 2013]
Comparison of a Canada Geese with two
Greylag Geese
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, near Eltville, Germany, May 2022]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Close-up lateral view of Canada Goslings
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Walluf, Hessen, Germany, January 2013]
Adult Canada Goose with a batch of goslings
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Walluf, Hessen, Germany, May 2018]
Close-up lateral view of a Canada Gosling
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Walluf, Hessen, Germany, May 2018]
Canada Geese can live in areas where the ground freezes over, but
they will leave if water surfaces freeze over
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Bowness-on-Windermere, Lake District, England, UK, January 2011]
Canada Geese swimming in single file
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[River Thames at Moulsford, South Oxfordshire, England, UK, December 2014]
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Food, Diet |
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Canada Goose with goslings feeding on pieces of an aquatic plant
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, between Walluf and Eltville, Germany, May 2022]
Canada Goose gosling feeding on grass
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, between Walluf and Eltville, Germany, May 2022]
Ohhh, yum, daisies!
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, between Walluf and Eltville, Germany, May 2022]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.